The present invention relates to a pneumatic radial vehicle tire with a belt structure having a tire tread comprising a plurality of block-shaped tread elements with polygonal cross-sections. These tread elements are separated from one another by circumferential grooves and slanted transverse grooves and are arranged in circumferential rows and slanted transverse rows.
It is know from DE-OS 32 47 465 to provide tread elements with a polygonal cross-section and to arrange them in circumferential and slanted transverse rows. Such a tire tread provides high traction (i.e., grip) on snow and also ensures a high rate of self-cleaning of snow and slush from the tread as well as good performance characteristics on wet street surfaces.
A tire tread of the aforementioned kind requires further improvement with respect to traction and self-cleaning properties when a more detailed, respectively, finer tire tread is desired and when the tire tread elements are designed to have a certain selectable contact surface.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide tire tread elements of a cross-sectional shape that provide a relatively high number of tread elements on the tire tread surface and that due to a certain arrangement provide and ensure a high traction and good self-cleaning properties. Furthermore, signs of wear of the so-called saw-tooth formation should be prevented, respectively, minimized.